Straight bar knitting machine



" April"13', 1954 K. w. WICKARDT 2,674,865 STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor:

Attomeys,

April 13, 1954 K. w. WICKARDT STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21 1951 B Q T I 1 KM w. whim-r aqua;

Attomeks Patented Apr. 13, 1954 2,674,865 STRAIGHT BAR KNITTING MACHINE Kurt Willi Wickardt, L

to Hosemaster iverpool, England, assignor Machine Company Limited,

Liverpool, England, a British company Application December 21, 1951, Serial No. 262,745

Claims priority, application Great Britain December 27, 1950 7 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in straight bar knitting machines such as the Cottons patent type, and more particularly relates to an improved presser mechanism for the manufacture of fashioned stocking blanks on machines of this type.

One object of the present invention is to provide for such machines an auxiliary presser device not disposed on the narrowing machine of the knitting machine and which in its inoperative position is disposed substantially above the needle bar and which can be brought into its operative position between the presser edge and the needles by being moved horizontally and vertically.

A further object of this invention is to provide for such knitting machines an auxiliary presser device which engages and presses the beards of selected needles without unduly stressing the needles of the knitting machine, which undue stress might be caused, for example by deflecting these needles towards or away from the presser edge and which is capable of engaging spaced groups of needles, which spacing of said groups can progressively be decreased and/or increased under the influence of any of the conventional control mechanisms of knitting machines.

According to the present invention there is provided in a straight bar knitting machine having bearded needles, a presser edge and means for modifying the relation between said needles and said presser edge, at least one instrumentality disposed in its inoperative position substantially above the needles and capable of being disposed between said needles and said presser edge for closing the beards of predetermined or selected needles to cause the same to press irrespective of the modified relation between said needles and said presser edge. The instrumentality or each of these instrumentalities may consist of a series of separate presser points, one for each needle to be engaged, arranged in groups to engage and close the beards of one, or several groups of needles.

For the manufacture of a complete stocking blank including the heel tabs in one operation of a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine, the relative position of the needles in relation to the presser edge of the machine is modified at the beginning of the knitting of the heel tabs.- Two groups of pressure points are preferably arranged for each needle bar in order to cause the needles in the heel parts of the needle bar to be pressed while the remaining needles do not press and the needles in between these two groups thus retain their loops. A

straight bar knitting machine comprising a presser device of this type is very well adapted to the manufacture of complete full-fashioned stocking blanks including the knitting of the heel tabs and the inter-linking of said heel tabs to the sole parts of the stocking.

The presser device may conveniently be supported from the front beam or table of the knitting machine and it may be arranged in such a way as to be pivotally displaceable into and out of its operative position. For this purpose the presser device may be supported by arms fixed to flat bars reciprocally disposed parallel to the needle bar.

In an alternative arrangement the presser points may be supported in a presser device disposed substantially in front of the narrowing machine in a way that the presser points can be moved horizontally and vertically in order to be brought from their inoperative position substantially above the needle bar into their operative position in frontof the presser edge, and/or to be retracted into their inoperative position.

In one construction embodying the present invention, as applied to a Cottons patent or other straight bar knitting machine, having the Wellknown needle bar with bearded needles, jack sinkers and dividing sinkers disposed'in a sinker head, and knockover bits, located between the needles and below the sinkers, an auxiliary presser shaft is pivotally supported in bearings attached to the front beam or table of the knitting machine. This auxiliary presser shaft carries fixed to itself, a number of guide arms in a substantially vertical position and one or more substantially horizontal driving arms, which latter arms are connected by connecting means to a cam follower capable of engaging a cam on the cam shaft of the knitting machine. The guide arms carry in their upper end guide bushes which support two reciprocally slidable flat guide bars. One or more of these guide bushes is connected to a lever which is operated by a cam follower contacting a cam on the cam shaft of the knitting machine. For each knitting section of the machine a support bracket is attached to each of the two guide bars and supports at its rear end a clamp piece with a number of presser points.

In any convenient place within the knitting machine a lead screw with two opposite hand threads is supported in bearings preferably attached to the front beam or table of the knitting machine. The lead screw carries on each of its.

two threads a nut. Each nut carries an abutment engaging one of the two aforementioned guide bars. The lead screw may be rotated by any of the conventional racking mechanisms known in the design of knitting machines in order to vary the relative position of the nuts and to reciprocate the guide bars and to move, together with said guide bars, the presser points into any desired position in relation to the needle bar.

In the production of a stocking blank on a straight bar knitting machine having bearded needles, a presser edge, means for modifying the relation between said needles and said presser edge, and including a presser device according to this invention, the stocking blank is knitted in the conventional manner up to the end of the high heel. At this stage of production the movement of the needle bar in relation to the presser edge is modified in such a way as will prevent the beards of the needles from being closed by contacting said presser edge. The presser points are brought into their operative position in front of the presser edge which enables them to close the beards of the needles in those parts of the needle bar in which the heel tabs are to be knitted in the further performance of the ma chine, whereas the remaining needles are not pressed and the needles in between the two groups of presser points retain their loops. By moving the presser points progressively outwards and/or inwards and by transferring the fabric in the heel-tabs outwards and/or inwards in the same manner during the knitting of the heel tabs these heel tabs can b linked to the sole parts of the stocking during the further performance of the machine.

After a suitable pre-determined number of heel courses have been knitted in the aforementioned manner, the needle bar is brought back into its normal position in relation to the presser edge while the presser points are kept in their inoperative position substantially above the needle bar, and the knitting of the remaining part of the stocking blank is completed in the conventional manner.

The present invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings illustrating one embodiment and in which:

Figure 1 is a cross section through a straight bar knitting machine in which certain parts have been omitted for the sake of clarity,

Figure 2 is part of a plan View of a straight bar knitting machine with certain parts removed for the sake of clarity and showing parts concerning the present invention, and

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a detail show ing the presser device in its operative position.

A cam shaft i is rotatably supported in the frame 2 of the straight bar knitting machines and rotated by an electric motor or other suitable prime mover 3 by means of gears 4 and 5. A needle bar 6 carrying in well known manner a row of needles I is moved in a vertical direction by arms fixed to a shaft 54 rotatably supported in the frame of the knitting machine parallel to cam shaft I. Shaft 54 carries fixed to itself one or more roller arms H contacting a cam or cams 13 by means of cam followers i2 under the influence of spring l4. Needle bar 8 is moved horizontally towards or away from presser edge 8 of sinker head 9 by means of an extension is and a connecting link I6. Connecting link l6 engages the far end of a lever Ii attached to a presser shaft 55 rotatably supported in fram 2 of the knitting machine parallel to cam shaft I. Presser shaft 55 carries attached to itself one or more roller arms l8 contacting a cam 25 on cam shaft 1 by means of cam follower l9 under the influence of spring 2 I.

An auxiliary presser shaft 23 is rotatably supported in bearings 24 attached to the front beam 25 or to any other suitabl part of the frame of the knitting machine. One or more roller arms 35 are attached to auxiliary presser shaft 23 carrying at their far end cam followers 35 contacting cams 38 under the influence of spring 37. Equally attached to shaft 23 in a substantially vertical position are presser arms 26. Arms 25 support at their upper end arms 39 free to oscillate and connected by means of connecting links 453 to roller arms M. Roller arms ii are supported from brackets 42 attached to the front beam 25 or to any other suitable part of the frame of the knitting machine. Cam followers 43 rotatably supported on the lower end of roller arms 4| contact earns 45 on cam shaft I under the influence of springs 44.

Arms 39 support parallel to their axes and free to reciprocate along the row of needles a pair of presser bars 23, 29. Attached to presser bar 28 are arms 33 arranged one for each knitting section whereas presser bar 29 equally supports arms 34 (see particularly Fig. 2). Attached to arms 33 and 34 at their far end are clamping pieces 38 and 3| respectively supporting a number of presser points 32. These presser points 32 are disposed in their inoperative position substantially above needles I in needle bar 5 in such a way as to be brought by means of a backward and downward movement between presser edge 8 and needles I enabling them to engage and close the beards of selected and predetermined groups of needles.

In any convenient place of the knitting machine a lead screw 46 with two opposite hand threads is rotatably supported in bearings 41 and 48 attached to the frame of the knitting machine. Lead screw 48 can be rotated at predetermined intervals by means of any of the racking devices conventional and well known in the design of straight bar knitting machines. Lead screw 46 carries on its one half a spindle nut 56 an abutment of which engages a bracket 51 attached by means of an abutment to presser bar 28 causing said presser bar to take part in any lateral movement of spindle nut 56. The other half of lead screw 46 carries a spindle nut 57 engaging a bracket 53 attached to presser bar 29 by means of an abutment 52. It will be understood that presser points 32 can be brought in various positions longitudinally of the needle bar 6 in relation to needles I by rotation of the lead screw 46.

In the production of a stocking blank on a knitting machine having bearded needles a presser edge and other loop forming elements said stocking blank is knitted in the conventional manner up to the end of the high heel. At this stage of production, cam follower IS on roller arm I8 is moved parallel to cam shaft I by means not shown in the accompanying drawings but conventional in the design of straight bar knitting machines. Cam follower l9 leaves cam 20 and is brought into contact with cam 22 which cam is shaped in such a way as to prevent needles 1 from contacting presser edge 8 of sinker head 9. This causes the beards of needles I to remain open in order to retain the loops on said needles.

At the same time cam followers 36 and 43 are brought in contact with their respective cams causing auxiliary presser points 32 to be moved horizontally and vertically into their operative position between presser edge 8 and needles so as to engage the beards of needles in those parts of the knitting section in which the heel tabs are being knitted. By moving said presser points progressively outwards and/or inwards and by transferring the fabric in the heel-tabs outwards and/or inwards in the same manner during the knitting of the heel tabs said heel tabs can be linked to the sole parts of the stock.- ing during the further performance of the knitting machine.

After a predetermined number of heel courses have been knitted in the aforementioned manner cam follower I9 is brought into contact with cam 20 and cam followers 36 and 43 are taken out of engagement with their respective cams. This results in bringing needle bar 6 into its normal position in relation to presser edge 8 of sinker head 9 in which position the beards of all needles 7 can contact the presser edge 8 to cause them to be closed in order to throw the loops from the needles 7 during the knock-over motion to interlink them with the newly formed loops. Auxiliary presser points 32 are kept in their inoperative position substantially above needles I and the knitting of the remaining part of the stocking blank is complete in the conventional manner.

Figure 3 shows the presser points in their operative position in front of presser edge 3, of sinker head 9. Needles la in the heel part of the knitting section contact the lower ends of presser points 32. Needles lb in the remaining parts of the knitting section do not contact presser edge 8 on account of the modified movement of the needle bar.

I claim:

1. In a straight bar knitting machine such as of the Cottons type, having a needle bar, bearded needles on said needle bar, a presser edge and a narrowing machine, selectively operable means for modifying the relation between said needles and said presser edge by moving said needle bar into a position in which the beards on said needles cannot engage said presser edge during a loop forming operation, at least one presser device associated with said needle bar, means for supporting said presser device independently of said narrowing machine, means for motivating said presser device independently of said narrowing machine and selectively disposing said presser device in an inoperative position substantially above said needles on said operative position between a predetermined group of said needles and said presser edge to abut the beards of said predetermined group of said needles to close the beards of said group oi needles during a loop working operation irrespective of a modified relation between said needle bar and said presser edge.

2. In a straight bar knitting machine such as of the Cottons type, having a plurality of needle bars, bearded needles on each of said needle bars, a plurality of presser edges, one associated with each needle bar and with all the needles thereon, and a narrowing machine, selectively operable means for modifying the relation between said needles and said presser edges by moving said needle bars into positions in which the beards on said needles cannot engage said presser edges during the loop forming operation, a plurality of presser devices of which at least one is associated needle bar and in an with each of said needle bars, means for supporting said presser devices independently of said narrowing machine, means for motivating said presser devices independently of said narrowing machine and selectively disposing said presser devices in inoperative positions substantially above said needles on said needle bars and in operative positions each between a predetermined group of said needles and a presser edge to abut the beards of said predetermined group of said needles to close the beards of said group of needles during a loop working operation irrespective of a modified relation between all said needle bars and said presser edges.

3. In a straight bar knitting machine such as of the Cottons type, having a plurality of needle bars, bearded needles on each of said needle bars, a plurality of presser edges, one associated with each needle bar and with all the needles thereon, and a narrowing machine, selectively operable means for modifying the relation between said needles and said presser edges by moving said needle bars into positions in which the beards on said needles cannot engage said presser edges during a loop forming operation, a plurality of presser devices of which two are associated with each of said needle bars, means for supporting said presser devices independently of said narrowing machine, means for motivating said presser devices independently of said narrowing machine and selectively disposing said presser devices in inoperative positions substantially above said needles on said needle bars and in operative positions each between a predetermined group of said needles and a presser edge to abut the beards of said predetermined group of said needles to close the beards of said group of needles during a loop working operation irrespective of a modified relation between all said needle bars and said presser edges.

4. In a straight bar knitting machine according to claim 3, a plurality of presser points in each of said presser devices, each presser point being adapted to engage with the beard of one needle.

5. In a straight bar knitting machine such as of the C'ottons type, having an undivided needle bar, bearded needles on said needle bar, and an undivided presser edge, selectively operable means for modifying the relation between said needles and said presser edge by moving said needle bar into a position in which the beards on said needles cannot engage said presser edge during a loop forming operation, two presser devices associated with said needle bar, means for supporting said presser devices from a front beam of the knitting machine, means for selectively disposing said presser devices in an inoperative position substantially above said needles and in an operative position each between a predetermined group of said needles and. said presser edge to abut the beards of said predetermined group of said needles to close the beards of said group of needles during a loop working operation irrespective of a modified relation between said needle bar and said presser edge.

6. A straight bar knitting machine according to claim 5, a plurality of presser points in each of said presser devices, each presser point being adapted for engagement with the beard of one needle.

7. In a straight bar knitting machine such as of the Cottons type, a plurality of needle bars, bearded needles on each of said needle bars, a plurality of presser edges, one associated with each needle bar and with all needles thereon, and a narrowing machine, selectively operable means for modifying the relation between said needles and said presser edges by moving said needle bars into positions in which the beards on said needles cannot engage said presser edges during a loop forming operation, two presser devices associated with each needle bar, the one with one part of the needle bar, and the other with another part thereof, means for supporting said presser devices independently of said narrowing machine, a plurality of presser points in said presser devices, each presser point being adapted for engagement with the heard of one needle, means linking all of said presser devices associated with said one part of said needle bars, means linking all of said presser devices associated with said other parts of said needle bars, means for motivating said presser devices independently of said narrowing machine and selectively disposing said presser devices in inoperativepositions substantially above said needles and in operative positions between said needles and said presser edges, and means for moving said References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,837,867 Hilscher Dec. 22, 1931 1,928,283 Ennis Sept. 26, 1933 2,011,577 Gee Aug. 20, 1935 2,036,775 Rottlofi Apr. 7, 1936 2,385,672 Woodcock Sept. 25, 1945v 2,475,447 Colton July 5, 1949 2,489,658 Miller Nov. 29, 1949 

